Why is Tahmasp I significant?

His fifty-two-year reign stabilised the Safavid state after Chaldiran, secured a lasting Ottoman frontier at Amasya in 1555, and produced abundant, well-struck coinage.

Are Safavid coins hard to attribute?

Less than most medieval Iranian series: mint names and Hijri dates are usually legible, and the Shi'i formula immediately identifies the dynasty.

How many Shah Tahmasp I pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?

1 item, dated 1524 CE – 1576 CE, spread across 1 era: Timurid & Safavid.

Which metals were used for Shah Tahmasp I coinage?

Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.

Where were Shah Tahmasp I coins minted?

Recorded mints include Mashhad (Imam Reza).

Persian Treasury

فارسی Español11 eras

Ruler

Coinage of Shah Tahmasp I

1 catalogued issue of Shah Tahmasp I — metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions with references.

In short

Shah Tahmasp I (1524–1576) reigned for fifty-two years, the longest of any Safavid, stabilising the dynasty after Chaldiran and moving the capital to Qazvin. Shah Tahmasp I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 1524 CE – 1576 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Mashhad (Imam Reza).

Catalogued: 1
Eras: 1
Metals: 1
Denominations: 0

Key facts

Key facts about Shah Tahmasp I in the Persian Treasury catalogue
Catalogued pieces	1
Date range	1524 CE – 1576 CE
Eras represented	Timurid & Safavid
Metals	Silver
Mints	Mashhad (Imam Reza)
Reign	1524–1576, fifty-two years
Peace treaty	Amasya, 1555
Capital moved to	Qazvin
Notable mint	Mashhad (shrine of Imam Reza)

Consolidation

Tahmasp inherited a state at ten years old and held it through Ottoman and Uzbek invasions, ending the western wars with the Peace of Amasya in 1555 — the first formal Ottoman–Safavid frontier settlement.

His long reign produced abundant silver from mints across the empire, and the Mashhad issues connected to the shrine of Imam Reza carry particular devotional significance.

Coinage and culture

Safavid silver of this period sits alongside the Tahmasp Shahnameh, one of the great illustrated manuscripts, and a court that hosted the exiled Mughal emperor Humayun — patronage that helped shape Mughal painting.

For collectors, Tahmasp is the accessible core of Safavid numismatics: sufficient volume for mint-by-mint collecting, good strike quality, and legible dates.

Timurid & Safavid · 1370 – 1736 CE

Era overview →

Shah Tahmasp I — Imam Reza Mint, Mashhad

Shah Tahmasp I

1524–1576 CE

Tahmasp's 52-year reign stabilised the dynasty after his father's defeat at Chaldiran (1514). His Mashhad coinage, struck at the Shrine of Imam Reza, was a powerful Shia statement directed at the Sunni Ottoman and Uzbek neighbours.

Frequently asked about Shah Tahmasp I

Why is Tahmasp I significant?: His fifty-two-year reign stabilised the Safavid state after Chaldiran, secured a lasting Ottoman frontier at Amasya in 1555, and produced abundant, well-struck coinage.
Are Safavid coins hard to attribute?: Less than most medieval Iranian series: mint names and Hijri dates are usually legible, and the Shi'i formula immediately identifies the dynasty.
What coins did Shah Tahmasp I issue?: Shah Tahmasp I issued 1 catalogued coin type dated 1524 CE – 1576 CE, recorded here with metal, weight, mint, obverse and reverse descriptions. The surviving issues in this catalogue are struck in Silver at Mashhad (Imam Reza).
How many Shah Tahmasp I pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?: 1 item, dated 1524 CE – 1576 CE, spread across 1 era: Timurid & Safavid.
Which metals were used for Shah Tahmasp I coinage?: Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
Where were Shah Tahmasp I coins minted?: Recorded mints include Mashhad (Imam Reza).

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